Distance< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Luke 22:54-62

How are you following Christ in your walk of life? Following Him when all is going the way you want is not all that counts. Following Jesus counts a lot more during challenges; when you refuse to take a step away from Him. Peter walked with Jesus; ate with Him, prayed along with Him. When a great challenge came up in the course of PeterÕs following of Christ, it was a different story. Luke 22:54-55, ÒHaving arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priestÕs house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.Ó Are you keeping your distance from Him? Are you taking a seat among His opposition? Peter kept his distance when trouble caught up with Christ. In his distance he also gained comfort among the opposition by sitting among them. He did not just take a seat; it was a seat of comfort to warm himself up with fire. It is very easy to keep your distance from the Lord when challenges confront you. However, keeping distance will not ease your challenges. Keeping distance will convert you to become a denier of the Lord as your savior. Peter, in his distance, denied the Lord. Luke 22:56-57, ÒAnd a certain servant girl saw him as he sat by the fire looked intently at him and said, Ôthis man was with HimÕ But he denied Him, saying, woman I do not know.ÕÕÕ  Peter received warning he was going to deny Christ. You are also receiving a warning: keep close, or you will also deny Him.

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Daniel 2:1-17

In the second year of NebuchadnezzarÕs reign, he had a dream that troubled his spirit. He called the Magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans (his wise men)  to tell what his dream was and the interpretation of it. There was no answer. No man on earth could tell the dream or give the interpretation. The bible recorded that the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Babylon. Daniel 2:13, ÒSo the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.Ó Daniel had purposed in his heart to serve God; God served him with His divine protection. As a result, it became impossible for the agent of death to locate Daniel. When Arioch, (the agent of death) approached Daniel, he could not locate Daniel. Daniel had a mind set for God; nothing set against Daniel could prosper. Are you set for God? God will deposit in you the spirit of wisdom and understanding. Daniel 2:14 says, ÒThen with counsel and wisdom, Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the kingÕs guard, who had gone to kill the wise men of Babylon.Ó Ask God to impart you with the kind of wisdom in DanielÕs life. Daniel had wisdom and counsel; he was delivered. Ask God for the wisdom that will deliver you from every agent that is not of God– agent sent in your direction to destroy your life.

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Courage

Num.13:17-20, Josh. 1:1-7

Moses was directing the children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel to go and spy the promise land. In his direction, he advised in Numbers13:20 ÒWhether the land is rich or poor; whether there are forests there or not, be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.Ó Courage is what will allow you to see and receive what God has packaged for your life. Also, it is courage that will allow you to hear and have what God promised. Courage is the vehicle that will bring forth result in every pursuit in your lifetime. Moses knew that without courage, the children of Israel will not be able to see and get to where God was taking them. Courage is when you are seeing positive in the face of negative. As a child of God, Moses knew that God will not promise good for bad or bad for good. Based on MosesÕ understanding, he wanted the children of Israel to go and see with a positive mind set. As a child of God, it is important to always see good in the journeys of life where others are seeing nothing but bad; to be able to see positive where they see negative. How do you see GodÕs promise manifest in your life?  Based on Moses understanding and knowledge of God, he was able to face danger with bravery. After the death of Moses, God commissioned Joshua in Josh.1:7, ÒOnly be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.Ó God repeatedly advised Joshua to be courageous twice in the same chapter. Can you get it? Courage is what is being talked about right now. Ask God to impact you with the spirit of courage.

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1Sam.13:1-14

Remember to keep His command in every battle you face.1Sam. 13:1-14 Saul as king was to battle the Philistines at Gilgal. He was to wait for seven days. He failed because he saw that the people scattered from him and Samuel did not show up within the appointed days. He went outside the command of God. He forgot GodÕs works and he missed the counsel of God. Saul was looking at the people to deliver him. From today, stop looking at people for help activate it in you that God is able in every battle that you are fighting; if you will remember not to look outside of Him. He will send help at His appointed time. People will scatter but GodÕs timing will not scatter if you do not scatter from it. Samuel came after SaulÕs departure from GodÕs command. Samuel then told Saul that SaulÕs kingdom will no longer continue. Saul will no longer be a commander because God has sought for Himself a man after His own heart. Saul failed to remember the command given to him so he could no longer be in command.

Identity< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Genesis 26:1-33

Isaac repeatedly ran into confrontation with the herdsmen of Gerar over the digging of wells. He knew quite well that that part of the world could not have survived without wells. Every effort by Isaac and his servants to have a productive life at Gerar were punctuated by the herdsmen of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Gera. The herdsmen of Gerar kept taking away the wells that were dug by Isaac servants and would not leave them in peace. Genesis 26:27-28, ÒAnd Isaac said to them, why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?Ó V.28 ÒBut they said, we have certainly seen that the LORD is with you. So we said, Ôlet there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you.ÕÕÕ Those who that have been tormenting Isaac with hatred turned around and looked for him to settle with a peace treaty. What happened? What was the cause of change? They saw God in him. They saw that the LORD was with him. His walk and work for God made the difference. He was shinning for God. How is your walk with God? How is your work in the LORD? Is their any difference when compared to your next door neighbor that does not want to hear the gospel? Go ahead and deceive yourself. You know the state of your identity. It does not take forever for you to be distinct. Also, it does not take forever for the enemy to turn his hatred for you into peace if indeed your walk and work is that of God. Proverbs. 16:7, ÒWhen a manÕs ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.Ó  The word of God is true and alive, take to the word of God and it will take over your life.